More Number Pyramids

Age 11 to 14 Challenge Level:

In the number pyramid below, the number in the bottom left hand corner determines all the other numbers.If you are viewing the interactivity on a mobile phone, you may need to rotate your screen to landscape orientation.

Try entering some different numbers.
What patterns do you notice?

Here are some questions to consider:

If I give you the number in the bottom left hand corner, can you work out the top number without working out the middle layers?

Can you explain why some numbers are impossible to get at the top, if you start with a whole number in the bottom left hand corner?

If I give you the number at the top, can you find a quick way of working out the number in the bottom left hand corner?

Do your insights still apply if you use negative numbers or decimals?

Can you justify any generalisations that you have reached?
Perhaps you could use algebra to explain your thinking.

Can you adapt what you discovered about 4-layer pyramids to larger pyramids?

What if the numbers on the bottom layer go up in 2s? Or 3s?

Here is an interactive number pyramid, where the bottom layer can go up by numbers other than one, which can be used to test out your conjectures.

The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the
NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to
embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.